Machine for straightening rails or other metal bars



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. J. LEIGHTON.

MACHINE FOR STRAIGHTENING RAILS OR OTHER METAL BARS. N0. 533,713. Patented Feb. 5, 1895.

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(No Model.) 38heets-Sheet 2.

H. J.- LEIGHTON. MACHINE FOR STRAIGHTENING RAILS OR OTHER METAL BARS.

N0. 533,713. Patent-ed Feb. 5, 1895.

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(N0 Model-.3 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

HpJ. LEIGHTON. MACHINE FOR STRAIGHTENING RAILS OR OTHER METAL BARS.

No. 533,713. Patented-Feb. 5, 1895.-

III, I'll. 6 l 5 J m r 5) g 0 u 7 UNI no STATES PATENT j HERBERT J. LEIGHTON, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS$IGNMENTS, TO THE JOHNSON COMPANY, OF PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHiNE FOR STRAIGHTENING RAILS OR OTHER METAL BARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 533,713, dated February 5, 1895.

Application filed October 6, 1892.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERBERT J. LEIGHTON, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of NewYork, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Straightening Rails or other Metal Bars, which invention is fully set forth and illustrated in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved machine in which the plunger will be automatically adjusted in its operation of straightening rails in proportion to the curvature to be straightened.

This machine comprises in its general features, an automatic mechanism for determining the location of the bend to be straightened, an extensible sectional plunger, a wedge regulating the length of the plunger, an automatic clutch mechanism connected to and operating the wedge, an automatic mechanism actuated by the bend to adjust the clutch mechanism, and a main driving mechanism. The normal position of the plunger is its shortest length.

In the operation of this machine, when the first adjusting contact is made with the bend to be straightened, the plunger is automatically elongated from its normal short length, a distance proportionate to the depth of the bend and then after each blow is automatically elongated, as the kink is decreased, until the kink is removed when the plunger is automatically restored to its normal short length.

The invention will first be described in detail and then particularly set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1, shows the complete machine in plan. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1, showing also a rail in position in the machine. Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the machine, looking to the right of Fig. 1. Fig. i is a cross section of the machine, taken at the line a, b, Fig. 1 and looking to the left. Fig.5 is a side elevation of the machine with gear-wheels removed. Fig. 6 is a section taken through the machine at the line 0, d, Fig. 1, showing the working parts on a larger scale. Fig. 7 shows certain details of construction hereinafter described.

In said figures the several parts are re- Scrial No. 448,062. (No model.)

spectively indicated by reference letters as follows:

In the construction of this machine I provide a suitable bed plate or support M on one end of which is mounted the driving and opcrating mechanism as follows:

H is a sectional plunger sliding in suitable ways in the support M and retained in position by guide plates V, W secured to the support by bolts n.

0 indicates a balance or driving wheel located on one end of a shaft U, mounted in bearings T and secured by plates p. The other end of the shaft U is provided with a toothed wheel A, meshing with a gear-wheel B on an eccentric shaft 0, mounted in the main frame, and secured by plates g. The eccentric shaft 11 extends through a block 0 movable vertically in a yoke Q, forming a part of the sectional plunger I-I. On the ends of the shaft 1) are mounted eccentrics it, it, provided with rods F, jointed to reciprocating rods I by sliding connections f, controlled by springs e, and couplings s. The springs c permit the feelers Z to have a yielding ads justment in their length. Upon the outer ends of the rods I are mounted the feelers Z. The outer ends of the rods I are connected byacross-head J,which carries a center feeler m, movable lengthwise thereon and in the plunger H, said center feeler m, passing through an orifice in the plunger in which it is adapted to move freely.

Pivoted to a plate L, on the cross-hcadJ is a bell crank lever K, the short arm K of which'impinges against the inner end of center feeler m. The outer end of this center feeler is normally in alignment with the ends of the side feelers Z. To the end of the long arm K of the bell crank lever is secured by a screw q, or otherwise, a fiat spring plate Z, which serves to connect the bell crank lever K with the automatic clutch wedge operating mechanism, constructed and arranged as follows: Mounted upon the rear portion of the plunger H, and movable with it, is a standard R secured by bolts, and supporting the walking beam S. Mounted in a guide 3 on the standard R is a vertically sliding rod X, having fastened toits lower end awedge 7', located mo between the sections of the plunger H. The forward section of the plunger is held back against wedge r by means of a spring f.

D, E, are what I shall term clutch blocks, or lateral arms, through which the rod X passes, which serve, as hereinafter explained, to aid in holding the wedge r in adjusted position, the clutch block D also aiding when acted upon to lower the wedge.

As shown in Fig. 7, the clutch blocks D and E, are provided adjacent to one end with an orifice, the sides of which are at an angle to the rod X passing through the same, and with springs D, E,on their upper side which bear against the rod X and press the long portions of the blocks D, E downward, holding them in a slightly tilted position, so that one side of each of the ends of the sides of the orifice bears against the rod X holding it in a fixed position.

Passing through guides X, X on the standard R, is a rod Y, the upper end of which impinges against the under side of the outer end of the long portion of the clutch D, while its lower ends rest on the spring Z. The rod Y passes freely through an orifice in the outer end of the long portion of clutch E, said end being located between the guide X" and a projection X on standard B, so as to permit clutch E to have a slight tilting movement. To one end of the walking beam S is pivoted a depending rod 20", provided with a coiled reactive spring 10", located thereon between the walking beam and a nut 20" adjacent to guide 3 and mounted on rod w". The lower end of rod to" impinges against the upper side of the outer end of the long portion of clutch D. Pivoted to the outer end of walking beam S is a depending rod j, passing through a guide j on standard R.

k is a vertical rod pivoted at its lower end to the free end of a horizontal lever 12, which in turn is pivoted at its other end to a standard b on the top of yoke Q. The lever 11 is raised and lowered with each revolution of the eccentric by the eccentric block 0 and a pin c" depending from lever Z), passing through yoke Q and resting on the block a. The rod is normally held in vertical posi: tion beneath and in line with rod j, by means of a spring Z connected at one end to the yoke Q, and at the other to an arm 25 on rod k. The upper end of rod 7t is located in a guide 70, on the standard R, having a passageway, as shown by dotted lines, of suiiicient width to permit a lateral movement of the upper end of rod it, when required.

The rod 70 is connected by means of a rod 2' with a sliding plate y, mounted on the top of the frame and having a lateral projection 3 Fig. l, with which a depending projection (1 Fig. 6, on the end of the long arm K" of bell crank lever K engages when the bell crank lever is carried forward by the plunger. This mechanism is for the purpose of pulling the upper end of rod 70 from beneath rod j and locating it beneath the arm of a bent lever 0, pivoted at the end of its other arm to the standard R, and provided with clips P which engage and release the clutches D, E. The lever O is normally held back by a spring 5 so as to keep the clips'Pout of engagement with clutches D, E. The bent leverO is held in place bya guide Oon standard B. When the long arm K of hell crank lever K is raised up by contact with a bend in a rail, the projection g5 will be held out of engagement with sliding plate y,leaving rod 7- in its normal position.

The wedge r when rod X is released is raised bya weight G on the lever n fulcrumed on the standard a on support M, said lever being connected to the Wedge r by means of a link a.

N, N are anvi'ls located on the support opposite to the feelers Z, Z. Said anvils are held in position by means of keys P, inserted in key seats 0, several of said seats being provided, as shown in Fig. l in order that the anvils may be located at any desired distance from each other. The rail is supported and moved on rollers mounted in brackets d on the frame M.

The operation of the machine is as follows: A rail being placed on the rollers c the feelers Z, Z, and center feeler m, by the operation of the machine will be brought in line together toward the rail, the plunger at its normal short length moving backward away from the rail, this reverse action of feelers and plunger being due to the arrangement of the eccentrics on the main driving shaft. The middle feeler m is carried forward with the side feelers Z, Z, by the cross-head J. By this means a kink on the rail between the anvils will be located, since if there is no kink presout the feelers Z, Z, and center feeler m will move forward together until they touch the rail, but if there should be a kink, the center feeler coming against it will be pressed back, while the side feelers will continue to move forward until they touch the rail. The feeler m will be pressed back a distance equal to the depth of the kink. As the feeler m is pushed back by the kink it acts on the bell crank lever and raises its long arm which through the spring plate Z raises rod Y, and the latter pushing up the outer end of the long portion of clutch D against the spring D, thereby releases and moves up clutch D on the rod X, also lifting rod w", tilting walking beam S and bringing the lower end of rod j down toward the upper end of rod 70. The rod X is meanwhile held from being drawn up by weight G by means of the clutch E. The rod 70 being then lifted by the rising of block 0, pushes up rod j, tilts walking beam S and carries rod. to down bearing upon the outer end of the long portion of clutch D, thereby causing the clutch D to be tilted downward and bite or clutch the rod X, and at the same time draw down the rod X and force down the wedge 0' between the sections of the plunger H, elongating the latter, in proportion to the depth of the kink. If the first blow or thrust of the plunger is not sufficient to remove the kink, or if the rail should spring back to its original shape after the plunger has been drawn back, the feelers will advance again, the center feeler m measuring what remains of the kink or bend and feed down the wedge the same amount, lengthening the plunger with each revolution of the driving shaft, until the kink has disappeared. Each time the wedge 1' is forced down, the clutch E will hold it down, while the clutch D is getting a. new hold farther up on said rod X. When the kink has been removed, the feeler m and bell crank lever K are back in normal position and in the forward movement of the plunger, the projection g on the bell crank lever engages the projection y'on the plate Z, thereby drawing the latter forward and through rod 2' pulling the upper end of rod beneath bent lever 0. By means of the revolution of the eccentric and the upward movement of block 0 the rod 70 is then raised and. acts on the bent lever O, to carry the clips P over the clutches D, E, and press them down and release them from rod X, thereby permitting the wedge to be drawn up and the plunger to be returned to its normal short length by the action of spring X on the forward section of the plunger. The plunger being carried back in the further operation of the machine, catch q is carried back with bell crank lever K, the plate y released, and the rod 7c drawn back to its normal position by spring 6, the bent lever 0 being also restored to its normal position by its spring s hen the kink is removed,.say from the tramway side of the rail, the plunger head must fit the contour of that side of the rail and the anvils must fit the other side. hen the kink has been removed from the tram side it is necessary to turn the rail over in order to remove the kinks from the head side, but before this can be done, the plunger head and anvils must be replaced by others that will fit the rail when turned. The same changes must be made when it is desired to remove the kink from the bottom or top of the rail. In order to avoid these changes, four machines may be set side by side, about sixty feet apart; the first machine treating one side of the rail, the second the other; the third the top and the fourth the bottom, the rail passing from one machine to the other upon rollers;

By a proper adjustment of a threaded rod r in the top of red as, the first elongation of the plunger may be regulated or adjusted to overcome all the elasticity of a bar, the walking beam S acting directly upon the threaded rod 1*. Thus the first advance of the plunger may be made much greater than would be the case were a very slight crook encountered, saving much time. Subsequent depressions of the wedge will carry this rod r away from and below the walking beam.

I am aware of the patent granted to A. J.

Moxham, and numbered 518,197, and such I do not broadly claim; but

hat I do claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine for straightening metal bars, the combination with an adjustable plunger, of an automatic clutch mechanism actuated by the variation from alignment of a plurality of reciprocating feelers in contact with the bend to be straightened, to adjust the plunger t0 the required striking distance, and a main driving mechanism.

2. In a machine for straightening metal bars, the combination with a sectional plunger, adjustable in lengthjof a wedge located between sections of the plunger, an automatic clutch mechanism actuated by the variation from alignment of a plurality of reciprocating feelers in contact with the bend to be straightened, to adjust the plunger to the re" quired striking distance, and a main driving mechanism.

8. In a machine for straightening metal bars, the combination with a sectional extensible plunger and a bend contact feeler, of a wedge, located between the sections of the plunger, and provided with a counter-weight for lifting the wedge when released, an automatic clutch mechanism acted upon by the feeler to adjust the wedge, and a main driving mechanism.'

4. In a machine for straightening metal bars, the combination with a sectional extensible plunger and a bend contact feeler, of a wedge located between the sections of the plunger, said wedge having a weight to raise it when released and a rod adapted to reciprocate through a fixed and a movable clutch, the fixed clutch being adapted to hold the wedge rod down and the movable clutch being adapted to force the wedge rod down through the fixed clutch, in combination with a main driving mechanism.

5. In a machine for straightening metal bars, an extensible sectional plunger and bend contact feeler, a wedge having a reciprocating rod and lifting weight, a fixed clutch adapted to engage the wedge rod, a movable clutch to engage the wedge rod and draw down the wedge, an automatic mechanism actuated by the feeler to operate the movable clutch, and an automatic mechanism to release the clutches, in combination with a main driving mechanism.

6. In a machine for straightening metal bars, an adjustable plunger in combination with an automatic clutch mechanism, which, measuring the amount of bend to be straightened by means of the variation from alignment of several reciprocal feelers in contact with the bend, adjusts the plunger at the required striking distance, and a main driving mechanism, whereby the plunger is set nearer to the bend after each blow proportionate to the amount of bend remaining, and, after the bend is removed, is set at a distance away from the straightened bar.

to the bend, first elongates the plunger to the required striking distance, and then after each blow further elongates the plunger and after removal of the bend shortens the plunger.

8. A machine forstraightening metal bars, as herein set forth, consisting of constantly reciprocating feelers and a plunger adjustable to the required striking distance in combination with an automatic clutch mechanism acted upon by the bend contact feeler measuring the amount of the bend, to adjust the plunger to the requiredstrikingdistance, and a main driving mechanism.

9. In a machine for straightening metal bars, a sectional plunger and feeler in combination with a countenweighted wedge, located between sections of the plunger and having a wedge rod, a stationary clutch engaging the wedge rod to hold down the wedge, a sliding clutch, movable on the wedge rod and engaging it to draw down the wedge, a connection between the feeler and sliding clutch for lifting the latter on the wedge rod, a mechanism for releasing the clutches, a mechanism which operates to press down the sliding clutch and with it the wedge rod and wedge, and also to intermittently act upon the clutch releasing mechanism, and a main driving mechanism.

10. In a machine for straightening metal bars, as herein set forth, a sectional plunger in combination with a counter-weighted wedge located between the sections of the plunger, and havinga wedge rod,a fixed tilting clutch block engaging the wedge rod to hold down the wedge, a sliding clutch block movable on the wedge rod to engage it and draw down the wedge, and mechanism for operating the parts.

11. In a machine for straightening metal bars, as herein set forth, the combination with a sectional plunger, a wedge between the sections of the plunger and having a wedge rod, of a fixed tilting clutch block, having a hole at one end diagonal to the wedge rod, through which the latter extends, and a spring which holds the block on the wedge rod in tilted position; and a sliding clutch block, having a similar hole and spring engaging the wedge rod.

12. In a machine for straightening metal bars, as herein set forth, a sectional plunger and a feeler in combination with a counterweighted wedge located between sections of the plunger and provided with a wedge rod;

a tilting clutch block, engaging the wedge rod to hold down the wedge; a clutch block,

new

adapted to slide on the wedge rod and engage it to pull down the wedge; a mechanism connecting the feeler with the sliding clutch block to raise it on the wedge rod; a mechanism acting on the sliding clutch block to move down the wedge, and a main eccentric driving mechanism.

13. In a machine for straightening metal bars; a sectional plunger, a f color, and a bell crank lever operated by the feelenin combination with a counter-weighted wedge be tween sections of the plunger, a wedge rod, a fixed tilting clutch block holding the wedge rod againstupward movement; a sliding tilting clutch block engaging the wedge rod; a vertical lifting rod, actuated by the bell crank. lever, and releasing and pushing up the sliding clutch on the wedge rod; a mechanism for causing the sliding clutch block to bite the wedge rod and push it down with the wedge to elongate the plunger, and an eccentric driving mechanism.

14. In a machine for straightening metal bars, a sectional plunger, a feeler and a bell crank lever in combination with a counterweighted wedge, located between sections of the plunger and having a wedge rod; a fixed tilting clutch block, engaging the wedge rod and holding-down the wedge; a sliding clutch block, adjustable on the wedge rod to engage and draw it down; a connection between the bell crank lever and the sliding clutch block to operate the latter; mechanism acting on the sliding clutch block to force down the wedge; a mechanism for releasing the clutch blocks fromthe wedge rod and permitting the wedge to be raised, and a main eccentric driving mechanism.

15. In a machine for straightening metal bars, the combination with extensible plunger and mechanism to change the length of said plunger; of bond contact mechanism adapted to gage the extent of the bend, and connection between the bend contact mechanism and mechanism for changing the length of the plunger, the connection being such, and the mechanism being so constructed that when the contact device strikes a bend in the rail the plunger elongating mechanism is thrown into action, and for the initial blow the plunger is elongated in excess of the gage of the bend, and thereafter is elongated proportionate to said gage.

16. In a machine for straightening metal bars as herein described; an extensible sectional plunger, a Wedge rod and a counter- Weighted wedge for adjusting the length of the plunger, in combination with a feeler and an automatic wedge-operating mechanism mounted on the plunger, and consisting of a rocking lever, carrying a member adapted to engage a clutch sliding upon and engaging the wedge rod, a rockinglever for releasing the clutches, a vertical vibrating, reciprocating rod, operated by a sliding eccentric block, and caused by the feelor to engage and operate either of the rocking levers; an automatic catch for causing the vibrating rod to operate the clutch releasing lever, and a main eccentric driving mechanism.

17. In a machine for straightening metal bars, as herein described, an extensible sectional plunger; a counter-weighted wedge for adjusting the length of the plunger; a rocking lever, having a member adapted to engage, a clutch engaging and sliding upon the wedge rod, means for automatically releasing the clutch, and a feeler adapted to raise the clutch when released, in combination with a main eccentric driving mechanism.

18. In a machine for straightening metal bars as herein described, the combination with an extensible sectional plunger, and a counter-weighted wedge and wedge rod; of a rocking lever, having a member adapted to engage a clutch sliding upon and engaging the wedge rod, and automatic mechanism for releasing the clutch and raising it on the wedge rod and for forcing down the clutch and wedge rod with it.

19. In a machine for straightening metal bars, as herein described, the combination with an extensible sectional plunger and a counter-weighted wedge; of a rocking lever having a member adapted to engage a clutch sliding upon and engaging the wedge rod, a stationary rocking clutch for holding down the wedge, a vertical, reciprocating, vibrating rod, automatically operating the rocking lever, and eccentric mechanism for intermittently operating the parts to raise and lower the wedge.

20. In a machine for straightening metal bars as herein described, the combination with an extensible plunger and adjustable counter-weighted wedge, of a rocking lever, having a member adapted to engage a clutch engaging and sliding upon the wedge rod, a clutch for holding down the wedge; means for releasing the clutches; a feeler for operating to raise the sliding clutch on the wedge rod, means for tilting the rocking lever and forcing down the wedge, and an eccentric driving mechanism.

21. In a machine for straightening metal bars as herein set forth, the combination with a counter-weighted wedge and Wedge r0d;.0f a fixed tilting clutch engaging the wedge rod to hold it from being lifted by the counter-weight; a tilting clutch engaging the wedge rod and slidable thereon, and a feeler operated mechanism, adapted to either lift the slidable clutch upon the wedge rod or release both clutches so that the wedge may be drawn up -by the counter-weight.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT J. LEIGHTON.

Witnesses:

O. W. SMITH, HERBERT A. CARHARI. 

